Underestimating the Ukrainian fightback, and the growing global pushback that is punishing Russian finances, appears to have prompted Vladimir Putin’s grossly irresponsible move to put Russia’s 6000 warhead-strong nuclear arsenal on high alert.

Brandishing the nuclear threat is a dangerous escalation by one of the nine countries in the world that possess nuclear weapons, especially given Russia’s position as a permanent member and current president of the United Nations Security Council.